Bad Republicans, Bad Democrats

House Republican Leader Themis Klarides wonders why "it's always the bad Republicans who don't like unions ... and don't like women" [April 25, Page 1, "GOP Offers Budget Plan"]. Could it be that Republicans have made it clear that they don't like unions and pursue policies that most women don't support?

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is no friend of the unions, either. In 2011, he did reopen state contracts with help from the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, which betrayed the rank and file. He also rejected concessions and threatened to lay off thousands of state employees. Malloy's communications director is conveniently forgetting his boss's past attack on union state workers to attack the "bad Republicans."

The union leadership continues to praise the governor even though he subscribes to trickle-down economics. The wealthy are coddled by the governor and the inequality of wealth continues to grow in the state.

If taxes on the wealthy are not raised, then it will be the bad Republicans, bad Democrats and bad union leaders who are responsible for placing the burden of balancing the budget on the struggling middle class and the most vulnerable in our state.